IDENTIFICATION OF A STAPHYLOCOCCUS-WARNERI SPECIES THAT CONVERTS OLEIC-ACID TO 10-KETOSTEARIC ACID

10-Ketostearic acid was unexpectedly observed during bioconversion of oleic acid to 15-, 16-, and 17-octadecenoic acids by Bacillus pumilus. The unexpected conversion was caused by contaminants which were isola ted, characterized, and identified, The three isolates were Gram posit ive cocci that grew anaerobically and were sensitive to furazolidone a nd lysostaphin, These characteristics suggested that the isolates belo nged to the genus Staphylococcus. Physiological and biochemical charac terization, fatty acid profiling, and DNA reassociation determinations indicated that the isolates were strains of the species Staphylococcu s warneri. The organisms were deposited in ARS Culture Collection as N RRL B-14932, NRRL B-14933, and NRRL B-14934.